In a letter to the City Council, Police Chief Donny Williams announced that he plans to retire from his role no later than June 30 of this year, saying this decision comes after fulfilling the five-year commitment he made when hired into the role.
In response, Mayor Bill Saffo said “Under Donny’s leadership, violent crime in Wilmington has neared a multi-year low and we’ve made tremendous strides in strengthening the relationship between our police and the community.”
Williams was assistant chief when in 2020 city council unanimously appointed him to lead the department — first as interim chief and then as the new permanent chief. He joined the department as a sworn officer in 1992, and served over 30 years.
Williams' leadership came under fire in recent months. In the summer of 2024, the city paid a third-party firm $75,000 to investigate Williams and other leadership issues at WPD (although city manager Tony Caudle has rebuffed repeated calls to release the report resulting from that investigation). Several former officers, including one who had filed a formal complaint about Williams, spoke out about his leadership.
Williams pushed back, saying criticisms of his leadership were racially motivated. Prominent leaders of the Black community also voiced vociferous support for Williams.
Related: Donny Williams in Black and White (Sunday Edition)
Later this month, city council will determine a search process for a new chief.
Below: Donny Williams' retirement letter.
Donny Williams resignation letter by Ben Schachtman on Scribd
